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in downtown Los Altos650-948-3700
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Orthokeratology/CRT

Orthokeratology (abbreviated as Ortho-k) or CRT lenses are nighttime contact lenses. They are a safe and effective method of correcting nearsightedness and astigmatism without the need for daytime contact lenses or glasses. Both of our doctors are certified in fitting these lenses and have ample experience with the fitting process. We have many satisfied patients from Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto and many more cities that we have fit with ortho-k/CRT lenses!

How ortho-k works

The GP lenses for ortho-k/CRT are applied at bedtime and worn overnight. While you sleep, the lenses gently reshape the front surface of your eye (the cornea) to correct your vision, so you can see clearly without glasses or contact lenses when you’re awake. The effect is temporary – generally enough to get you through a day or two – so you must wear the reshaping lenses each night to maintain good vision during the day.

Who is a candidate for ortho-k?

Orthokeratology is frequently a good option for nearsighted individuals who are too young for LASIK surgery or for some other reason are not good candidates for vision correction surgery. Because it can be discontinued at any time without permanent change to the eye, people of any age can try the procedure, as long as their eyes are healthy.

Ortho-k is particularly appealing for people who participate in sports, or who work in dusty, dirty environments that can make contact lens wear difficult.

Research has shown that Ortho-k can slow down or even halt the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in children and adolescents. Ortho-k/CRT is one of our most effective clinical methods of Myopia Control (part of our #StopNearsightedness campaign).

What results can you expect from ortho-k?

The goal for ortho-k is to correct your vision to 20/20 without eyeglasses or contact lenses during the day. In FDA trials of both CRT and VST lenses, more than 65% of patients were able to achieve 20/20 visual acuity after wearing the reshaping lenses overnight. More than 90% were able to see 20/40 or better (the legal vision requirement for driving without glasses in most states).

Success rates for ortho-k tend to be higher for mild prescriptions. Call our office to find out if your prescription is within the range that can be successfully treated with ortho-k.

How long does ortho-k take?

Though you may see some improvement in your vision after a day or two of overnight ortho-k, it can take several weeks for the full effect to be apparent. During this time, your vision will not be as clear as it was with glasses or contacts, and you are likely to notice some glare and halos around lights. It’s possible you may need a temporary pair of eyeglasses for certain tasks, like driving at night, until your vision is fully corrected by the ortho-k lenses.

Is ortho-k comfortable?

Since ortho-k GP lenses are worn during sleep, comfort and lens awareness are generally not a problem.

Can I have LASIK after ortho-k?

Yes, it’s possible to have LASIK surgery after orthokeratology. But because ortho-k lenses reshape your cornea, you must stop wearing the lenses for a period of time (usually several months) so your eyes can return to their original shape and stabilize. Be sure to tell your LASIK surgeon that you’ve worn ortho-k lenses, so they can advise you how long you should wait before having the surgery.

What's New

Glasses. Contact Lenses. LASIK. All of these terms are commonplace in modern society. You may be familiar with one or more of these modalities from your own vision care or a family member or friend. The truth is, nearsightedness (myopia) has become so prevalent that there are no degrees of separation when we seek to find individuals suffering from the condition. So the question arises: how did we become nearsighted? Additionally, why are the rates of myopia increasing at such a drastic rate in the modern age?